State board ups graduation requirements

It will take a little more work to graduate from high school in Missouri under new standards given initial approval Thursday by the state board of education.

The new requirements call for additional courses in the basic subjects of English, math, social studies and science, along with newly required courses in health and personal finance.

After a state education task force recommended the additional requirements in April, state education officials held a series of public hearings around the state to gather suggestions on the idea.

Missouri currently requires 22 units of credit to graduate from high school; the new standards require 24 units, with fewer electives. The new levels would take effect for students who will graduate from high school in 2010.

Cape Girardeau and Jackson high schools both require 23 units of credit as minimum graduation requirements. Cape Girardeau requires 24 credits for a college prep certificate and Jackson requires 26.

The state board accepted the tougher requirements Thursday with little discussion. It must take another vote this fall for the policy to become effective.

"Too many students are requiring remedial work at the college level. Too many students are ill-prepared in the areas of math and science when they enter the work force. The proposed standards will help address those issues," education commissioner Kent King said.

The task force was led by Jerry Valentine, a University of Missouri-Columbia education professor, who has said that while Missouri has the same or more total units required as nearly all of its surrounding states, most others call for more units in core subjects than Missouri has.

He said the key in making changes was to require more basic courses and fewer electives, and to ensure that courses taught statewide are in line with the state's expectations of what students should learn at each grade level.

The task force also made other recommendations the board can consider later, on topics such as revamping standardized tests and offering specialized diplomas. But those ideas could take more work, such as additional funding or changes in state law.